Emil gables



Patented Aug. 18, 1885.

(No Model.)

E. GABLER.

. PIANO FORTE.

www v Jwm v J ZIO UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

EMIL GABLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PIANO-FO RTE.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EMIL GABLER, a resident of New York city, in thecounty and State of New York, have invented an ImY provement inPiario-Fortes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure l is a side View, partly in section, of a piano-forte ofmy improved construction, showing the keys inclosed. Fig. 2 is a similarview showing the keys uncovered. Fig. 3 is a detail section on the linec c, Fig. 2, Fig. 4, a modification of same.

This invention relates to a new construction of lid for covering thekeys of pianoy fortes, the invention being more particularly applicableto upright and also to grand pianos.

The lids heretofore used on upright pianos for inclosing and protectingthe keys when the instruments were not used were hinged at their rearends to the faces of the instruments, and when folded back would lieagainst said faces, inarring the varnished surface thereof by Contact,and being otherwise in the way.

My invention consists in making the lid in two parts, of which the rearpart is a slide, While the curved front part is hinged to the rear, thewhole being adapted to enter beneath the face-board of the instrument tothe extent hereinafter more fully described.

By the use of this invention the keys are wholly uncovered, which withthe ordinary lids was not always the case, and the player therefore hasgreater freedom for the movements of the hands, and a music-rest isfurnished. At the same time the lid will not in any way mar theappearance of the instrument, but rather improve its looks; nor will itinterfere with the proper manipulation of the same.

In the drawings, the letterArepresent-s the easing of an uprightpiano-forte. B is the face-board or front board of the same-that is, theface-board beneath the key-board. C are the keys, which connect with theaction in the usual manner. D is the improved lid.

rlhis lid consists of a back portion7 a, and a JECIIEICATICN formingpart of Letters Patent No. 324,467, dated August 18, 1885.

Application filed March 9, 1885.

(No model.)

front portion,b. The back portion,a,ishigher in rear than in front, andrests at its ends on rails or guides d, (see Figs. 3 and 4,) which areformed on the inner side of the casing A, and is beneath the face-boardB. To the thin front edge ofthe portion a is hinged at c the back edgeofthe portion b. This portion?) of the lid is curved, as shown. Vhen thekeys are inclosed, as in Fig. i, the back portion, a, is drawn out andthe hinged curved portion b folded down upon the supporting-edge fof thepiano-case. In this position the iid will inclose the keys properly andwill present substantially the saine appearance to the eye as theordinary lid.

Vhenever the keys are to be used the front portion, b, of the lid isfirst folded back upon the back portion, c, as in Fig. 2, on which itk,wholly rests, and then the whole lid is slid back into the piano untilit strikes one or more stops, g, which are secured to the inner portionof the piano for the purpose of arresting the further inward movement ofthe lid. ln this position-that is to say, when the lid has reachedcontact with the stops gthe keys C of the instrument are whollyuncovered and full freedom of manipulating the same is provided, and theconcave upper face of the part I), where it extends in front of theface-plate B, will serve as a rest or support for the music. It will beseen that the sliding lid can be moved beneath the face-board B of thepiano to the extent shown in Fig. 2. The forward motion of the slidinglid is arrested by a stop, h, striking a fixed bar, t', which bar isdirectly behind the keys C. The thick back part ofthe slide c fills thespace beneath the faceplate B when the instrument is closed, as in Fig.l. The same space is filled by the upturned part b when the instrumentis opened, as in Fig. 2.

I claim-u 1. In a piano-forte, the lid D, composed of the sliding backportion, a, and curved hinged front portion, b, the back portion, a,being thicker at the rear than in front, to close the opening beneaththe face-plate B when the instrument is not to be used, as set forth.

2. In a piano-forte, the combination of the IOC) ense A and itsface-plate B, rails d, stop or tially as and for the purpose hereinshown Stops g, secured to the side pieces of the euse and described.

A, stop '11, that is secured to the under side ol the back portion, a,of the lid, and fixed bar 1', with the sliding lid D, having curvedhinged front portion, Z1, which when folded buck will constitute a musicrest, snbstznl-l ,EM IL G A BLEH.

VitnesSeS:

.CHARLES G. M. THOMAS, G Us'iuw SCHNEPP x'c.

